This invention relates to the jet engine art and, more particularly, to a unique turbofan engine fan blade that is made in part of composite material, and to a novel method of forming (i.e., making) it.
It is well known in the art that for many years attempts have been made to manufacture and use a turbofan engine fan blade that is made of composite material. It is fair and accurate to say that these prior art attempts have been fruitless, either in the manufacture stage or in the use stage. One of the basic causes of these prior art failures has been the need to use "insert plies", or the equivalent (such as a wedge-shaped solid) between the splayed plies in the root portion of the blade.
I have invented a unique turbofan engine fan blade, and a method of making it, that overcomes that disadvantage and, additionally, results in other substantial advantages which will be set forth later herein. Thereby, I have significantly advanced the state-of-the-art.